how to write application essay for mba

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MBA Essays: Everything You Need to Know

Scott Edinburgh - Personal MBA Coach

Scott Edinburgh is an mba.com Featured Contributor and the founder of Personal MBA Coach , a boutique MBA admissions consulting and tutoring firm.

Nearly all MBA hopefuls are familiar with the term “MBA essay”, but what exactly does this mean and why is the MBA essay so important? To help guide MBA hopefuls, Personal MBA Coach would like to answer some common questions about the MBA essays and share details on the most common MBA essay types.

Why do I need an MBA essay?

Beyond the obvious answer that nearly all schools require you to write one in order to be admitted, the MBA essay is your chance to show MBA admissions committee members who you are BEYOND the facts and figures. These essays are your opportunities to show what makes you unique, share your goals and discuss how you will add to the dynamic community at your target business school.

Do I need different MBA essays for each program I apply to?

Unfortunately, YES! While there are some overlapping themes across the most common MBA essay types (more on this below), each business school has its own unique essays. Unless you are applying through an organization such as The Consortium (which has some specific requirements), you must complete a separate application for each MBA program and answer each school’s specific essay questions.

To make this daunting task more manageable, Personal MBA Coach helps clients identify common elements across essay types. Ultimately, however, you should develop a separate essay for each school you are applying to.

What should I write about in my MBA essay?

First and foremost, you should answer the question. It is surprising how often candidates write beautiful essays that do not actually answer the question. Instead of writing what you think admissions committee members want to hear, answer the question.

What are the most common MBA essay questions?

While there are countless different essay questions across MBA programs, the three most common types of essays questions are Goals Essays, Why an MBA? Essays, and Personal Story Essays. (Often one essay question will ask clients to discuss both their goals and why they want an MBA.)

Below, Personal MBA Coach shares our tips for answering each of these key essay types:

Goals Essay

When answering a question about your MBA goals , it is crucial that you are decisive . While no one will hold you to what you write in your MBA applications, you should have a specific post-MBA plan. For most schools, you will want a short-term and a long-term career goal. This goal should be logical for you. This means it should flow naturally from your passions and experience. If it doesn’t, it is crucial that you explain why this goal makes sense for you.

Finally, this goal should be attainable. You are not going to be the CFO of Pepsi two years after graduating from business school (sorry!). Do your research in terms of what position might be reasonable in your target industry.

Why an MBA? Essay

To answer a question about why you want an MBA or why you want to study at X school, you want to show that you have carefully thought through how an MBA (at your target program) will prepare you to achieve your career goals. To do so, Personal MBA Coach suggests being very specific in detailing the opportunities you plan to take advantage of on campus.

Discuss classes you are particularly interested in or perhaps professors you are looking to study with, etc. Do not include a laundry list. Instead, carefully think through how each offering will allow you to fill in your skill and/or experience gaps. Be sure to show an understanding of your target school’s culture and avoid writing vague statements and copying content from other MBA application essays.

Personal Story Essay

With a personal story essay, your objective is to show the reader how your story is unique and how you will add value and diversity to classroom discussions and on campus activities. This can be one of the hardest essays to write. To get started, Personal MBA Coach advises that you make a list of everything you have done in your life and take the time to write it all down. Then, think carefully about the decisions you have made, activities you enjoy and, most importantly, why you made those choices. Finally, look for a theme! What single idea connects these items? This is the hard part, so give it time.

How do you conclude an MBA essay?

Do not overthink the conclusion. In fact, with short word limits, Personal MBA Coach often advises clients to write just one concluding sentence or remove the conclusion altogether. Conclusions can be fluffy, generic or repetitive. You do not need (or want) to waste words here. If you have told your story well and you have addressed the question clearly and concisely, do not worry about the conclusion!

How far in advance should I start my MBA essays?

As soon as possible! It is never too early to start thinking about your MBA essays. In fact, Personal MBA Coach works with many clients 6 month – 3 years in advance through our Early Planning package, helping future applicants make the appropriate career and extracurricular decisions to ensure they have enough experience to write strong MBA essays.

That said, with diligence, some Personal MBA Coach clients are able to develop a compelling MBA essay within a month. (Keep in mind, this is a very compressed timeline and takes dedication to achieve!). Plus, you always want to leave time for proofreading and should avoid submitting your essays at the last minute.

Founded by a Wharton MBA and MIT Sloan graduate who sits on the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants Board of Directors, Personal MBA Coach has been guiding clients for 14 years and is consistently ranked #1 or #2, currently holding the #1 ranking in the US on Poets&Quants.

We help clients with all aspects of the MBA application process including early planning, GMAT/GRE/EA tutoring, application strategy, school selection, essay editing and mock interviews. Our team includes a former M7 admissions director and former M7 admissions interviewers.

Last year, our clients earned more than $6M in scholarships!

7 Essential MBA Essay Tips

A good essay can help you gain admission to a top master of business administration (MBA) program. But writing one can be a challenge.

Most business schools require an essay for admission to an MBA program alongside other requirements like undergraduate transcripts, letters of recommendation, and, sometimes, admissions test scores. An essay allows you to emphasize your experience and helps you stand out from the crowd of other MBA program applicants.

Read on to learn more about MBA essays, and get seven essential tips about how to write one.

Featured Online MBA Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

7 Tips for Writing an MBA Essay

1. the prompt is key.

Not every business school has the same MBA essay prompt, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to answering every question effectively.

Some schools, like the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, offer choices between multiple short-answer prompts with small word counts.

Others, like The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, have broader essays asking students to define how an MBA will help them advance their future professional goals and how they’ll contribute to the community.

Don’t use a template or reworked sample essay to answer a school’s prompts. It’s important to put your own personal touch on an MBA essay and tailor your writing to each business school’s prompts.

2. Tell Your Story

A good format for MBA admissions essays is: I faced a challenge. I overcame that challenge, and here is how I will put that lesson into action and advance myself in an MBA program.

Incorporate your background and the challenges you’ve faced into your MBA essay. Make sure to highlight how those experiences have prepared you to excel in an MBA program. And be sure to underscore the impact you’ve had on different teams you’ve been a part of.

Make sure to discuss your goals and how the MBA program you’re applying to can help you achieve them.

3. Provide Real-World Examples

An MBA essay shouldn’t read like a resume. This is your shot to show how your lived experience has positioned you to pursue an MBA.

You won’t have enough space to get into the specifics of every challenge you’ve faced, but providing examples of your lived experience and skills is key to a successful MBA essay.

These don’t just have to be examples of major accomplishments. You can also highlight times you haven’t succeeded in a goal and what you’ve learned from that.

4. Apply Your Goals

If you’re applying to multiple business schools with required MBA essays, you’ll almost certainly see some examples of the following prompt: How will an MBA from (insert school name here) help you achieve your professional goals?

Do your research and apply your goals to a school’s MBA curriculum. If you’re applying for an MBA at a program with a heavy focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) like Tulane University, you might discuss the ways you want to incorporate data analytics into your career.

If you’re aiming for a dual sustainability degree at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, be sure to highlight the ways you plan to apply what you learn about sustainability.

An MBA essay should let schools know that you have a genuine interest in their curriculum.

5. Be Concise

A long essay does not always mean a good essay. Business schools are looking for effective communicators, so be sure to avoid redundancies and edit your essay to be concise and reader-friendly. Make sure you keep your MBA essay within a school’s requested word limit.

Make sure you’re writing in the active voice whenever possible. For example, instead of writing “the program was started by me,” write “I started the program.” Put yourself at the center of the action in your writing.

6. Proofread

It goes without saying that a spelling error in an MBA essay can hurt your chances.

Make sure to carefully proofread your essay for spelling and grammar. It might also help to have a friend take a look at your writing. Another set of eyes can catch something you might have missed.

There are also a number of online proofreading tools like Grammarly, Grammark, and others that can help you shape up your essay.

7. Stay on Time

Start your essay well in advance of the application deadline.

It’s important to take time to draft and edit your essay to make sure you meet all the requirements in a concise and grammatically correct manner. Give yourself plenty of time to write the best essay possible.

What Is in an MBA Essay?

MBA essays vary by school. Some schools have broad prompts that will ask you about your long-term goals or how you’ll contribute to the university community. Others have more specific questions relating to their program or your experience.

MBA essay lengths also vary. Some schools assign multiple, shorter essays of less than 300 words. Other business schools have one or two longer essays of up to 900 words.

Why Is the MBA Essay Necessary?

An MBA essay can help you highlight your strengths in a way that a resume can’t. Essays allow you to add a personal touch to your application and outline what makes you stand out from other applicants.

Business schools are looking for diverse cohorts of students with varied backgrounds and experiences. An MBA essay can help you highlight the ways you’ll contribute to your cohort and the community.

Frequently Asked Questions About MBA Essays

How do i end an mba essay.

The end of your MBA essay should generally be a pitch to the admissions committee. Take what you’ve written and use it to show how you’ll succeed at a business school. Avoid writing “in conclusion” or simply summarizing what you’ve written so far. Keep in mind that this approach won’t work for every prompt.

How important are essays for an MBA?

An MBA essay is usually a requirement for admission to an MBA program . MBA essays can help you highlight your goals and achievements and show how you will add value to the university community.

Is there a lot of writing in MBA programs?

Writing and communication are key skills taught in MBA programs. Whether you’re focusing on marketing or pursuing a STEM concentration, reading and writing will be components of MBA programs. A growing number of programs, however, are allowing students to use artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in their writing.

What makes an MBA applicant stand out?

Work and life experience, background, skills, and undergraduate coursework are among the factors that can help you stand out as an MBA applicant.

What matters most in MBA admissions?

There is no one factor that matters the most in MBA admissions. Work experience might be the deciding factor for one candidate, whereas a stellar undergraduate record might help another. A strong essay, good test scores, and extensive experience can all help to boost your application.